Kansas House lawmakers advanced a wide-ranging bill Tuesday that includes Republican plans to ban trans children from getting gender-affirming medical care amid outcry from worried parents.
A district court has sided with Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach on a temporary block to keep Kansas residents from changing the gender listed on their drivers’ licenses.
House Democrats questioned the integrity of two Republicans legislators who brandished their credentials as physicians while promoting harmful misinformation about transgender children during debate Thursday on legislation that would prohibit doctors from providing gender-affirming care.
Kansas House Rep. Brenda Landwehr kicked the first person out of Thursday’s hearing on anti-transgender legislation for cradling a protest sign in the room.
Kansas advocates for trans rights spoke out Thursday against Republicans’ latest attempt at restricting access to gender-affirming care and criticized a state senator for giving short notice on a hearing to those who would be most affected if the proposal becomes law.
Molly Adams / Lawrence Times
Members of Native American and queer Lawrence communities joined in solidarity for a vigil in honor of Nex Benedict, a 16-year-old nonbinary student from Oklahoma who died this month after suffering injuries from a fight in the girls’ bathroom at school — the bathroom state law required them to use.
From protests and a Pride parade to working against anti-LGBTQ+ legislation and more, the transgender community in Lawrence celebrated joy and resilience in many ways throughout 2023.
Civil rights advocates argued in court this week that drivers’ licenses should not lead to “forced outing,” leaving a district judge to decide how a divisive law will impact the day-to-day lives of transgender Kansans.
Molly Adams / Lawrence Times
Advocates and allies gathered Monday evening to remember transgender and gender nonconforming people murdered or targeted by violence and transphobia.
The ACLU argued in a court filing Monday the state’s Republican attorney general shouldn’t be granted a temporary injunction forbidding Kansans to change driver’s licenses to affirm their gender identity.
